By Marley Seaman
On Aug. 4, family and community members, along with firefighters from more than a dozen departments and friends from thousands of miles away, filled Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Malverne for Brady¹s funeral. The volunteer fireman who died after a station house accident on July 30.
Many mourners stood outside the church on Wright Street for the duration of the Mass. They remembered Brady as a fun-loving friend, as a kind family man, as a coiner of bad puns, and as a heroic volunteer who repeatedly risked his life to help others.
"Paul Brady was a great fireman. He gave everything he had and he helped a lot of people," said Malverne firefighter Dave Gildea.
Brady, 42, was repairing a rescue truck when former department chief Robert Meyer began moving it, unaware of Brady¹s presence, according to Gildea. Brady had been standing on top of the truck, and suffered trauma when he was caught between equipment on the truck and a firehouse ceiling beam. He was further injured when he fell off the truck after Meyer reversed course, and he died three hours later.
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani paid tribute to Brady's heroism on Sept. 11, 2001, calling him a ³hidden hero² of that day. Brady then worked at the Chase Manhattan building, and helped evacuate his coworkers after the terrorist attacks began. Giuliani said that Brady repeatedly re-entered the building to make sure others did not stay behind. "Every one of those steps he took could have taken his life," Giuliani said. "Those sort of immediate acts of heroism ... come out of your heart."
At the conclusion of his eulogy, Giuliani invited the crowd to reward Brady's service and bravery with a standing ovation. People inside and outside the church applauded for nearly a minute.
Mourners praised Brady's sense of humor ‹ Giuliani said that because of Brady¹s puns, family members were uncomfortable being "Paul bearers" -- and his enthusiasm for life. Brady was a former mountain climber, an amateur boxer, a runner and a cyclist with the energy to take on 100-mile-long "century rides" despite his large size.
"Paul had that little kid inside him in a big way," said Gildea.
After a drive past the Malverne firehouse on Broadway, where ringing bells ceremonially called Brady to his last fire, one of the Malverne Fire Department's engines brought his coffin to the church. The engine was decked out with bouquets of flowers in purple, yellow, pink, white and red. On the side of the engine was an arrangement bearing Brady's number, 609, and the department insignia. The coffin was draped in an American flag.
The funeral Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Robert Coyle, who had known Brady since high school. At the end of the service, as the church bells tolled at noon, firefighter Michael Latronico slowly walked out of the church carrying Brady's helmet. The firefighters all saluted.
ŒResponded to the needs of others¹
"Everybody's said to me when they called, 'Paul was my best friend.' And they meant it," said Lisa Brady. "He was my best friend. He¹s been my best friend since 1993."
The couple met in October of that year while working for the AIG insurance group. They began a secretive office romance two months later, and were "pretty much inseparable" after that. They were married in a simple ceremony on Sept. 27, 1998, at Shelter Island, surrounded only by family members. A year later, they honeymooned in Ireland and Scotland, taking in their shared heritage. Friends from those nations came to the funeral last Friday.
Brady joined the Malverne Fire Department in 2000, and while that may have been his bravest act, his wife said he was always willing to surprise his friends by helping them out in unexpected ways.
"We try to respond to the needs of others, and Paul did just that," said Coyle.
Lisa Brady said she always told her husband, "Honey, I love you, be careful" as he left to answer a fire call. Because he was only departing to do maintenance and participate in a drill the day he died, she did not say those words when he went to the station. Despite her grief and the difficulty that lies ahead of her, Lisa said, she has learned a lot from her husband. "You've got to try to find joy now in everything you do," she said. "Whether you're talking [about] something that seems mundane or inane, or climbing a mountain."
Checks for charitable donations to the fire department can be made out to the Norwood Hook, Ladder and Hose Company #1, and mailed to 30 Broadway, Malverne, NY 11565.
Comments about this story? MSeaman@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 205.
